More students, trainees and apprentices have been recognised in the Print Futures Awards than ever before.

This is with 302 applicants resulting in the granting of 91 awards, the most in a single year, to those needing to fund training in print, in publishing, in design or journalism. It supports those already in the industry or with a clear view of why they want to get into it, according to Printing Charity CEO Neil Lovell. All are part of the wider print and publishing industry supported by the Printing Charity.

The 91 youngsters receiving their grants at the House of Lords last week consequently covered all aspects of the trade with 70 female winners. The event was hosted by Lord Black of Brentwood, taking over from Brenda Dean who died suddenly having presided over last year’s ceremonial event. He paid tribute to her while introducing winners “from Cornwall to the Shetlands, across a range of disciplines”.

The Printing Charity has set up an alumni group to help keep touch with the award winner and to encourage the winners to network. This is now planning its second event, says Lovell. “We began when wondering how could we support these people beyond the award, with the judges all invited to participate.”

The winners this year included 20 already with jobs in the industry, planning to use the money to fund further training and gain additional qualifications. These included Lilly Adcock, who trained as an apprentice project manager before joining Paragon Customer Communications UK in Dagenham. She is now moving up the process improvement ladder. “I like talking to people to find out what they are doing and why,” she says. “I guess I’m just nosy.”

Tessa Duell is at the other end of the spectrum, a student from the University of the West of England. She plans to use her grant to fund an internship at a Bristol book publisher, which she would never have been able to do otherwise.

All the winners

The Printing Charity has made 91 awards of grants to help young people with the costs of training for a career in print or publishing. The awards were presented at the House of Lords last week with Lord Black of Brentwood hosting the event.